Power Play
by Luna Bellum
Summary: Wizarding Britain has flourished after the death of Voldemort in 1981. Some magical creatures even hold seats on the Wizengamot. However, there are whispers of a looming house-elf rebellion... Follow the Light and Dark, the Neutrals, the New Bloods, the Goblins, and more as they wonder what role Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Reappeared in the public eye, will play in all of this.
1. 10 Years Later

**Chapter 1: 10 Years Later**

 ** _Hogwarts Kitchens, August 25_ _th_ _, 1991_**

"Did you hears the news Tinker?", squeaked Blinky excitedly.

"Yes, the Boy-Who-Lived is finally going to attend Hogwarts, it is rather exciting", replied Tinker in a neutral fashion while focusing on peeling potatoes.

Tinker was a very well-spoken house elf, in comparison to… well, the remainder of the house elf "staff". She had come from an abusive family, and, thankfully, her owner had finally drowned himself to death with the _finest_ stock ofFirewhiskey in Britain, according to the late bastard. Her contract had been broken 4 months ago, and she had shed no tears over it. Immediately, she had packed her belongings (her favourite pillow and fork), and left the grandiose manor for the last time. For weeks, she had travelled from household to household discreetly, offering bits of speculation and information here and there, hoping to reform the old crowd. After the necessary elves were informed properly, she took off for Hogwarts. While she did not need to work, a lone house-elf camping out in hovels and the streets is a prime target. Of course, forcing a bond between house-elf and wizard was banned shortly after Lord Voldemort's demise, but the more laws there are, the more people there are breaking them. In that respect, Hogwarts was probably Tinker's only chance at living comfortably, not to mention that it provided important networking and alliance opportunities, with the hundreds of elves currently residing in the school.

"No no, I was talking about the upcoming dinner the Headmaster Dumblydoor is hosting for the lords. Blinky is being very impatient to cooks the food for the event."

For the millionth time, Tinker was wondering why the common house-elves insisted to refer to themselves in third person. It gave her a headache. She would believe they were doing it on purpose out of delusions of self-grandeur if she didn't know they had trouble counting up to the number 3. Sighing, Tinker simply responded with "Of course Blinky" before making her way to the kitchen entrance.

She was, technically, supposed to work for two more hours, but who would notice her absence? House-elves all look the same in a sea of hundreds after all. 'Perhaps this job isn't that painful after all' thought Tinker, as she grabbed a bottle of Butterbeer on the way out, now hopefully the prefects weren't using the baths at the moment…

 ** _Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts, August 25_ _th_ _, 1991_**

Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard of the 20th century, was pacing in front of his desk with his phoenix perched on his left shoulder. He was wearing mismatched socks, one maroon and one magenta, and munching on a chocolate frog. Every so often, a frown would mar his expression and a frustrated sigh would escape his lips.

The reason for his current predicament is no other than _Lord_ Lucius Malfoy, his main opposition in the Wizengamot, and at Hogwarts too. How one man could hold three important poisitions escaped Albus, the unfairness of it all was only amplified by the Slytherin's considerable wealth. Lucius was the Head Governor on the Hogwarts Board of Governors, unofficial leader of the Dark party, and CEO of the Daily Prophet. If he had been less preoccupied by thoughts of his nemesis, the Chief Warlock/Headmaster/Supreme Mugwump would have noticed the irony in what he was saying. But such matters were trivial at that very moment.

The Headmaster had been working very hard on the Gringotts front recently. He had been in constant negotiations and talks with Director Ragnok. With the laws Dumbledore, himself passed a decade ago, during the aftermath of Tom Riddle's demise, magical creatures gained more rights than ever before. The old wizard was not one to do something without reason though. Simply, he did not believe Riddle was forever vanquished on that Halloween night. Admittedly, there was, certainly, evidence showcasing his death, but during his long life, Albus learned there were no such things as lucky breaks. Well, except maybe that one time he brewed some Felix Felicis and apparated to that candy store. He still had lemon drops leftover from having been the _Millionth customer at Sweets Co._ Ah, sweet sugary goodness…

Shaking his head, the old man realized he was getting off-topic. No, Tom Riddle was certainly out there, and he needed to gather as many allies as he could to end the Dark Lord once and for all whenever he returned.

He was hoping to secure more favour with the goblins. It had been going well, his knowledge of their language, Gobbledegook, facilitated their meetings and the goblins respected him, even if he was "the enemy", a wizard. Things were changing for the better, up until Lucius decided to push against the entry of goblin representatives on the Wizengamot body. He appealed to the Dark politicians and most of the Neutrals by bringing up the several bloody goblin rebellions of the past, and the race's general attitude against wizards. The political climate just was not ready to allow a goblin to sit on the Wizengamot just yet, and Lucius only served to continuously rub salt in the wound. The promises of more gold to finance the future revamped Order of the Phoenix and discreet monetary incentives here and there went crashing down after that particular Wizengamot session. Foolishly, most of the promises Albus made to the goblins relied, heavily, on the fact that they would get their long-coveted seat on the Ministry's political body.

With good reason, he had expected for the motion to pass, as Wizarding Britain had, over time, become more progressive. After all, only five years ago, the centaurs managed to gain a seat in the Wizengamot. Things have been looking up for magical creatures, but, there are always those frustrating lords that bring their prejudices to the table, and things always go downhill from there.

Albus was in a bad position. The previous war had deprived him of most of his gold and assets, and, as terrible as it sounds, the Potters were very wealthy and their untimely death was very inconvenient for the light side, such a loss in funds hit Dumbledore and his allies hard.

He dismissed that train of thought quickly, it was not the Potters' fault they got betrayed. He did miss Lily and James dearly, he considered every student of his, past and present, family in a way. Except perhaps the current source of his problems, Tom Marvolo Riddle, and Sirius Black, the not-so black sheep of the Black house after all.

One thing was sure though, Albus needed to secure a healthy amount of gold in the next year or two. He had very important plans; dare he say the fate of the Wizarding world rested on his hands. Which is why he decided to reinstate his tradition of hosting banquets in the Great Hall for the board of governors (minus Malfoy), various Light lords, and even a few key Neutral players. He may not have chosen to be considered the greatest wizard in recent history, but it certainly had its advantages. It was time to put them to good use. Everyone had children attending Hogwarts, why wouldn't they agree to donate a good amount to the new "Quidditch Fund"… yes that would be an excellent cover.

Abruptly, he stopped pacing and half-ran to his chair, picked up his thestral quill, and started drafting an invitation to be sent out to his carefully chosen group of people. Fawkes the phoenix, suddenly disrupted by the sudden movements, let out an annoyed trill before flying to his majestic, gold ornate perch. It was close to his burning day, and he needed all the peace he could get. His human was sometimes very inconsiderate…

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 **Hey everyone, this is my first story and my first attempt at writing Fanfiction! This story will cover many point of views, and many political games, plots, and adventures from just about everyone in the magical society. Let me know in the reviews what's bad and good :D, and you can also tell me what point of view you would like to see next.**


	2. The Orphan-Who-Lived

**Chapter 2: The Orphan-Who-Lived**

 _ **Dursley Household, September 1**_ _ **st**_ _ **, 1991**_

"I'm going to give you two more minutes and then I'm leaving for work with or without you, your crazy school for _wizards_ be damned", exclaimed Vernon impatiently.

Harry Potter was very excited for several reasons. First of all, he would be leaving the Dursleys for the entire year. Not having to deal with his bully of a cousin or his relatives' sour attitudes in general was a blessing. Most importantly, though, he would be attending Hogwarts, the premier school of magic in Europe. Ever since he was old enough to understand what was going on in the world, he resigned himself to a life of mediocrity if he were to remain stuck with the Dursleys.

His key to freedom, the knowledge of the existence of magic, had been presented to him by none other than the Hogwarts groundskeeper, Rubeus Hagrid.

Glancing over at his cousin, he noticed the pig tail was still firmly planted in his backside. Harry started chuckling, until he noticed his Uncle's stern expression. He abruptly stopped, took his school trunk in his hands, and made way for the exit. Nothing could put a damper on his mood today, not even his relatives. Harry Potter was going to King's Cross to catch the Hogwarts Express.

 *** _PP*_**

After a long, quiet drive, both Uncle and Nephew finally arrived at the station. Vernon seemed to actively ignore him, grumbling under his breath about "old senile fools" and "idiotic wizards". As far as he was concerned, Harry found a silent Vernon to be the greatest melody of life.

After gathering his belongings, Harry made to leave the car, but Vernon stopped him by putting an arm on his shoulder.

"Now listen here, Petunia and I expect you to behave at that school. We do not want any letters or owls turning up at our house during the school year. Your aunt has been going spare trying to save our reputation in Privet Drive after last month's letters incident. We want no contact with _your sort_.", nervously said Vernon, whilst looking left and right, as if trying to spot possible wizards sneaking around the station.

Internally rolling his eyes, Harry responded: "Yes, Uncle Vernon".

Vernon took one last look around the station, and jumped in the car and drove away as quickly as possible. No odd wizards would follow him to Privet Drive, no sir.

This left the young wizard to fend for himself. Clutching his Hogwarts letter, he looked over the instructions one more time:

 _The Hogwarts Express will be leaving at 11:00 A.M. from Platform 9 & ¾._

Harry looked up and started walking about randomly. "Platform 8... platform 9… platform 10", said the young boy as he passed those respective platforms. There was no platform 9 ¾ to be found. Suddenly panicking, Harry looked at his worn-out wristwatch, "borrowed" from Dudley's second room containing his old toys. It was currently 10:45 AM.

Was this all a trick? Were his Uncle and Aunt in on this practical joke? Numerous thoughts were going through Harry's head at incredible speeds. That is, until the green-eyed wizard noticed someone trying to catch his attention. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone beckon at him.

He turned around slightly and was met by an imposing sight. A man, with a long, black robe and a hood over his head, was standing in front of a pillar between platforms 9 and 10. When the man was sure Harry had noticed him, he made a show of pointing the pillar, and slowly walking through it, as if by _magic._

By magic! That was it. With less than 15 minutes to spare, Harry did not have any other ideas how to reach the Hogwarts Express; the man must have been a wizard. Casually making his way towards the seemingly normal pillar, he looked around to see if any Muggles, "people without magic", had mentioned Hagrid during their shopping trip at Diagon Alley, were looking. The various Muggles around the station were busy in their own daydreams, so Harry closed his eyes and took a few steps through the stone barrier.

When he reopened his eyes, he was met with the sight of a magnificent scarlet steam engine packed with students, ready to be boarded. He looked around the station for the cloaked man that had shown him the way, he wanted to thank him. But, he was nowhere to be found, only parents and their children were still present. Dismissing the mysterious man out of his head almost immediately, Harry looked longingly at one of the families. The mother was in tears and was hugging what seemed to be her son. The son was pushing the mother away, clearly embarrassed with the public affection she was giving him. After a few seconds, the son took his trunk and made way for the train, smiling and waving at his proud parents.

Saying goodbye may be one of the hardest things to do, but, at that very moment, Harry desperately wished he had someone to say goodbye to.

Shaking that thought out of his head, he slowly made his way to the train, trunk in hand and slightly hunched over. For the first time since discovering the world of magic, he wondered what use being magical had if there was no one he could share it with.

Inside the train, Harry was walking in the corridor, looking for an empty compartment. After a disconcerting experience with two red haired twins and a tarantula, he quickly found a compartment towards the end of the train. He was not strong enough to lift his heavy trunk, so he left it on the floor. Damned be his height. Thankfully, he had already sent his snowy white owl, Luna, ahead to go to Hogwarts immediately. Hagrid had told him that owls were, in particular, very intelligent, and that Luna would be welcome at the Hogwarts Owlery any time.

He sat down near the window, looked at his wristwatch, which indicated _10:59_ _AM_ , and started a mental countdown. At exactly _11:00 AM_ , the Hogwarts Express blew its whistle, and took off from the station. Harry's earlier sad thoughts were replaced by a sudden burst of happiness. This was it, this was time for him to build upon a new life, where no one knew him and he could make a name for himself, to finally be someone else than "Dudley's weird cousin".

In another universe, Hagrid might have told Harry how he was famous in the Wizarding world, and how the Dark Lord Voldemort had murdered his parents on Halloween 1981. But, Hagrid felt like the child should, perhaps, learn of those things from someone that could explain in more detail, like Dumbledore. After all, the boy deserved to know everything accurately, bless his soul.

As such, little did the young boy know, most everyone in the magical world knew more about his heritage than he did. Every magical child, since birth, worshipped Harry Potter, as he was the subject of a great many bedtime stories. In this world, he wasn't the weird cousin.

No, he was Harry James Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the compartment door. From the window, he could make out a person with blonde hair with a calm expression on their face.

Standing up, he made his way to the door and he opened it, curiosity winning over his social anxiety. Would this possibly be a future best friend, or a foe?

 _ **Unknown Location, September 1**_ _ **st**_ _ **, 1991**_

The man apparated back to his hideaway. Taking his hood and robes off, he let out a heavy, audible sigh and sat on a chair.

The child was alive, he recognized those green eyes and the fabled scar immediately. He had looked rather thin and short, but no matter. Such things can be easily fixed with time, given the right sort of potions.

He owed his life to the Potters. He had a lot of damage to undo, a decade's worth. The plans needed to be set in place now. After ten years of waiting, he was finally ready to act. He knew the current political climate was stable, but rumours of magical creature rebellions and New Bloods disappearing served to worry some of the population. However, no matter the future obstacles, one thing was absolutely certain.

The Potter House would be reborn from the ashes, and will be great again.

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 **Who is that mysterious man, and is he a threat to Harry Potter? Is Voldemort still alive? Please leave reviews for the bad (and the good) of this story, and comment on who you would like featured next! :D**


	3. The Grass is Always Greener

**Chapter 3: The Grass is Always Greener…**

 _ **A Month Earlier, Greengrass Manor, August 1**_ _ **st**_ _ **, 1991**_

Daphne was still in bed, sleeping, long after the manor elf, Kiki, had finished cooking breakfast. To her left, another young girl was fast asleep, clutching Daphne's arm with a soft smile on her face. The girl, Astoria, was a carbon copy of her older sister, with her blonde, long hair and deep blue eyes. Daphne quietly rose from her slumber, rubbed her eyes a few times, and turned her head towards her sister. She started caressing Astoria's head, with a sad smile on her face. Astoria insisted on sleeping with her big sister, and Daphne could not, and did not, want to refuse her.

Three years ago, their mother left and never came back. Daphne had never figured out the truth. When she asked her father, he always replied impatiently and avoided actually saying anything about it. She was only 8 years old when her mother left, while Astoria was 6. Their mother had abandoned them without saying a word. For the past three years, Daphne lived, day to day, with constant rage, confusion, and buried sadness plaguing her thoughts.

However, neither her or her father had dared break the news to young Astoria. The girl had been ill on and off since her birth. For months, she would be full of life and energetic, but, suddenly, her condition would slowly deteriorate and she would become bed-ridden for days, sometimes weeks. Long ago, her parents had been to St. Mungo's Hospital to give Astoria a check-up; the news had been startling. It seems she was the target of an bloodline curse. The Greengrass patriarch knew his great-great grandfather may have been the target of a blood malediction, a curse cast upon him by a foreign witch from the Egyptian tribes for unknown reasons. However, those rumours had never been confirmed and none of his descendants had shown signs of being cursed. That is, not until Astoria.

The Head Healer himself had performed tests on the youngest Greengrass, and had, unfortunately, diagnosed her with an extremely potent curse. Astoria would be unlikely to live more than 20 years.

Her mother, had taken Daphne aside, and told her the sad news. Daphne vowed to give her little sister the best 20 years of life anyone could ever get. Of course, Astoria had not been told about her condition, telling a child about their imminent death is simply not done.

The years after Astoria's diagnosis flew by quickly. Her parents always doted on Astoria and got her everything she ever wanted, putting happy expressions on their faces. But, when Astoria wasn't in the same room, Daphne often saw the defeated and guilty expressions on their parents' face. As if they had failed Astoria in some way.

Then, Daphne's mother vanished. Three years have passed and that still confused the Greengrass heiress. Why would their mother abandon them? She clearly loved Daphne and Astoria to death, and she was the one that told Daphne to always take care of Astoria the best she could. Had she known she was going to disappear one day? Things just didn't add up. At the same time, she couldn't discard that maybe her mother's love had been partly an act, and that she left once she saw the Greengrass House wouldn't grow the way she wanted it to, with Astoria's certain death. Daphne needed to find out, but her father would not tell her anything. She would find other ways to acquire information, that was one of her major goals.

As it turned out, life had other goals for her, because, seconds later, a cry of "Daphne! Astoria! You are late for breakfast. Both of you get dressed and down here this very instant." was heard.

Grumbling under her breath, she planted a kiss on Astoria's cheek and gently woke her up.

"Tori, wake up. Let's get something to eat, I'm hungry."

Astoria slowly opened her eyes, spotted Daphne above her and smiled for a split-second, before retorting,

"That's why I'm the pretty Greengrass sister. All you think about is food, but I think about my figure."

"Cheeky girl, get up before I tell Kiki that you insist on having more vegetables for your meals."

Astoria gaped, with an expression of horror on her face. This made it very clear what she thought about the idea of extra vegetables.

Laughing, Daphne got out of bed and made her way to the wardrobe. She decided to colour code her outfit in green (she was a _Green_ grass after all). Of course, Astoria always followed her lead, and she ran over to pick more or less the same outfit as her. Not that Daphne minded, she loved Astoria to death.

Hand in hand, they made their way down the marble stairs, where Kiki was waiting for them.

"Daffy, Tori, the master is being very impatients this morning. Hurry, to the dining room."

Daphne let out a small smile, Kiki could never pronounce their names right, bless her.

As the Greengrass girls reached the dining room, they were met with the sight of an annoyed Philip Greengrass.

"Keeping someone waiting is unacceptable behaviour, especially for daughters from an important House such as ours", said the Lord of the manor.

Ever since their mother had disappeared, their father had changed over the years gradually. Daphne knew their father still loved them, but he showed it less and less. Rather, he started focusing his attention on expanding the Greengrass House and increasing its prestige. She suspected it was to try to forget about his wife. As such, Philip Greengrass had become a rather demanding man, and he got on Daphne's nerves on occasion.

Sighing, Daphne put on a mask of indifference and replied, "Yes Father, we apologize."

Astoria, on her part, ignored her father's comment and sat up on the chair to his left. She reached out and gave his father a big hug, and excitedly said "Hi Daddy! Oh, oh, oh what are we doing today? Can we go to Diagon Alley, I want to look at the new racing brooms out pleeeeeeease?"

Philip's expression changed from annoyed to resignedly soft. He ruffled Astoria's hair and said "I do have some business at Gringotts later. If you and Daphne wish to come as well, we can very well stop at Quality Quidditch Supplies for some time."

Astoria was bouncing with joy in her seat, and Daphne let out a smile. Seeing her sister excited made the pain caused by her mother's disappearance bearable, and her mental estimate of her father slightly rose. He may not be the same man Daphne had gotten to know, but he was still their father. Merlin knows where Astoria got her love of Quidditch from though, no one in the family has ever played. Daphne would never admit it to anyone, but she was rather scared of flying. Her little sister though had no such compunctions. Ever since she read about the Wronski feint, Astoria had wanted to try it every time she went flying on the manor grounds, but, thankfully, their father had forbidden such crazy moves.

Philip snapped her out of her thoughts, "Daphne, the other night, I was speaking with some allies of mine. Apparently, Lord Malfoy's son, Draco, had a conversation with none other than the Boy-Who-Lived in Diagon Alley yesterday."

Daphne raised an eyebrow, clearly uninterested by that piece of gossip. Astoria didn't even react, she still had a faraway look in her eyes, probably still thinking about the new Nimbus or such.

"Harry Potter? Wasn't he expected to come to Hogwarts this year anyways? His birthday is publicly known after all, and he turned eleven some time ago.", let out Daphne.

"My daughter, we are not talking about _just_ Harry Potter, we are talking about the possible key to success. You are old enough now to know what having a celebrity such as him on our side would mean for the Neutral parties. His influence would solidify a Neutral majority in the Wizengamot, and we would be able to pass the bills and law we have been hoping to pass for a decade now."

Daphne's expression turned to stone when she realized her father was starting another of his political games, and, this time, Daphne would certainly be a lead actor.

The Greengrass patriarch continued, "The boy is eleven, and will be attending Hogwarts in a month's time, just like you. What an amazing coincidence that is. Of course, you will be sorted in Slytherin. I should stress that it is of the utmost importance that you befriend the Boy-Who-Lived. After all, I, as an adult and a stranger, cannot walk up to him and introduce myself. Make him trust you, he could be a wonderful asset and ally for our cause. But, nobody knows where and with who he grew up. The Potters were known for their prejudice against the Slytherin house, it is important that you _break_ whatever prejudice the young Potter may have against us. I trust that I do not have to repeat myself?"

Daphne sometimes disobeyed her father and went against his word, but, in this very moment, he saw he was very serious and that he would not take no for an answer.

"Very well Father, I will try my best. I can manage it, of course."

"Good, good. If we're careful, this will work out very well indeed. The Greengrass name shall be respected at the same level it once was again."

Astoria interrupted the conversation, "Bla, bla, bla, politics. Can we go to Diagon Alley soon? I've finished eating while you slowpokes were boring me to death."

Her father answered, "Be patient Astoria. We will go once everyone has finished eating. I don't think Kiki would appreciate us leaving leftovers on the table, when she works so hard to cook for everyone."

After the meal was done, the Greengrass trio made their way to the Floo. Astoria went first, throwing Floo powder in the fireplace with an excited yell of "Diagon Alley"

If Astoria ended up getting a new Nimbus, Daphne was sure she could convince her father to get her the new set of beautiful green Acromantula silk robes she saw on display at Madam Malkin's some weeks ago. She was not an aspiring Quidditch star like her sister, she was the Greengrass heiress, the epitome of Wizarding elegance and fashion.

 _ ***PP***_

 _ **Back to Present Day, Hogwarts Express, September 1**_ _ **st**_ _ **, 1991**_

Harry opened the compartment door and came face to face with a blue-eyed blonde girl.

"Oh, my apologies, I was looking for my friend Tracey. I can't seem to find her anywhere."

The girl had a distressed look on her face, and Harry wasn't sure what to do. Eventually, he replied, "I haven't seen anyone named Tracey. I've been alone this whole time, sorry."

The girl let out a small smile and said, "It's okay. My name is Daphne Greengrass by the way, and you are?", pretending not to notice the boy's trademark scar.

"I'm Harry, Harry Potter."

Playing a figure of shock and wonder, Daphne passionately said, "Harry Potter? _The_ Harry Potter? It's an honor to meet the Boy-Who-Lived."

Visibly confused, Harry was staring at Daphne wondering what she was on about. He asked her, "The boy who what? How do you know who I am? I've just recently found out I was magical."

Internally cheering, Daphne realised that a great opportunity had been presented to her. She could act as the young Potter's guide to the magical world. The boy seemed truthful when he said he was new to the magical world.

"Wait. You mean you don't know? Harry… do you mind if I call you that?"

Receiving a hesitant nod from the green-eyed wizard, Daphne pressed on, "Alright Harry, you can call me Daphne as well. Do you mind if I sit down with you? It is certainly going to be a long train ride, and I could tell you more about magic. I think Tracey went off to see other friends in another compartment, I'll find her at school."

Harry was very curious. The girl in front of him seemed to recognize him, implying he was famous in this world. Furthermore, when she said she could explain more about the magical world to him, he had made his mind up.

"Of course, be my guest. Let me close the compartment door so we aren't bothered."

Harry turned his back to her to close the compartment door, whilst Daphne let out a visible smirk for a split-second. Things were going very beautifully.

As both sat down opposite of each other, Harry's eagerness for information was visible to the entire world, and Daphne had formulated a plan in her head.

"Now Harry, what do you know about Lord Voldemort?"

"Lord who? Never heard of him"

Daphne became more hesitant. The Boy-Who-Lived didn't know the truth about his parents' deaths, and his fame. She only knew bits and pieces about his parents, so she decided to avoid that topic altogether.

"Never mind that. What do you know about Quidditch?"

Daphne didn't particularly like the sport, but, if there was one thing she learned, the best way to get a boy to open up was to talk about brooms and Quidditch. Hopefully, the boy genes in Harry would get him excited about this particular subject even if he was new to this world...

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 **And Chapter 3 is done, slightly longer this time. I am trying to improve every chapter. What's the deal with the Greengrass mother, and will Daphne succeed in befriending Harry Potter? Please leave reviews to tell me about the bad (and the good), and comment on who you would like featured on the story next time!**


	4. Welcome Home Harry

To all the few of you who has favourited and followed my story, THANK YOU! I am excited to put out more chapters for you. Please leave a review of what you like, what you don't like, and what you want to see in future chapters. For your support, this chapter is even longer than the previous ones. Enjoy! :)

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 **Chapter 4: Welcome Home Harry**

 _ **Hogwarts, August 1**_ _ **st**_ _ **, 1991**_

The Hogwarts Express had finally reached Hogsmeade station. The students were tired, yet excited after the long journey. Once the train had arrived at a full stop, students were fighting to get out of the wagons.

Harry had gone out of the compartment to let Daphne change into her school robes; he himself had changed into them a bit earlier. He tried to reach the compartment again to find Daphne, but his way was blocked by dozens of students walking in the opposite direction. Shrugging, Harry decided to leave the train, he would find his friend later.

Friend, now that was a new word for Harry. The only friends he'd ever had were in Primary school, but that was only for a short period of time, because Dudley eventually chased them all away with threats and punches. The young wizard had been, and still was, small and scrawny for his size. Dudley was taller, and huge. Although he'd certainly avoid several health problems Dudley would have with his whale-like constitution, he sometimes wished he were taller to defend himself better.

When Daphne willingly offered to sit with him, the scrawny boy, for the whole train ride, and explain the magical world to him, he had felt a surge of happiness. Every so often, Daphne had smiled and let out the most wonderful laugh he had heard when he'd ask stupid questions on occasion. His nervousness had been completely gone by the end of the trip and he joined in on the laughter and the teasing. He was finally happy to have a friend his cousin _couldn't_ chase away.

The blonde witch had, also, explained the Hogwarts House system. Gryffindor for the brave and daring, Hufflepuff for the hardworking and loyal, Ravenclaw for the creative and intellectuals, and Slytherin for the ambitious and cunning.

He had trouble imagining himself in any of those houses, but he was also unsure about Slytherin. First of all, Draco Malfoy, the boy he met at Madam Malkin's, had seemed quite rude and he didn't want to have to deal with him. Also, Hagrid had told plainly that bad wizards came out of Slytherin house.

But on the other hand, Daphne had told him that, historically, her family members were all sorted into Slytherin and that was the house she was aiming for. His new friend was very nice and he couldn't see her becoming a bad witch. His internal conflict hadn't gone unnoticed by the witch, so Daphne had asked him what he was thinking about.

 _ ***PP***_

"I don't know Daphne, Hagrid, the groundskeeper of Hogwarts, told me that most bad wizards came out of Slytherin house. He made it sound like it was a house of… well evil people. But…"

Daphne cut him off, "Oh really? Evil people? I know my family very much, and not one of my ancestors has turned into dark lords or criminals. The only thing my little sister, Astoria, could be evil about is forcing someone to play Quidditch to the death. She loves that sport."

Harry smiled at that light jab about Daphne's sister. He visibly relaxed.

Daphne went on, "There's nothing evil about being cunning and ambitious, think about it. None of what we have today would exist without ambition. The four founders of Hogwarts wouldn't have built this amazing school for wizards and witches without ambition. The ministry of magic, the Wizengamot, Diagon Alley. Everything was created with the power of ambition. After all, nobody knew if their projects would work out. But they certainly did, and they added to the grandeur of our world."

Harry had to agree with the points she made. If what Daphne said about Slytherin house was right, being cunning and ambitious wasn't evil.

As a final remark, Daphne finished with, "If Slytherin was pure evil, I wouldn't choose to go there. _Trust_ me Harry", as she looked into Harry's eyes reassuringly.

Deciding the witch's arguments made more sense than Hagrid's ones, he started, carefully, considering house Slytherin.

He had never been brave enough to stand up to his cousin's bullying, he felt like Gryffindor was out. Loyal may he be, but he wouldn't exactly describe himself hardworking by choice, only when forced to do chores by his banshee of an Aunt. He was certainly not an intellectual, sure he loved learning, but he wasn't particularly intelligent or creative.

However, he had always been in the shadows, in the back of the group. Eavesdropping, and escaping when he was about to be found out. His small frame allowed him to do such. Slytherin may not be a perfect fit, but "cunning" fit him the most.

Plus, if his new friend would be sorted into Slytherin, Harry didn't see a reason not to go too. If one thing was sure, he desperately wanted to experience friendship, and human company in general.

"Also, the Slytherin green robes really fit your eyes. I think that's the most important reason above all, nothing is more primordial than fashion", said Daphne in a fake haughty tone.

They both laughed at that last quip, and, after hearing the train opreator's announcement that they would be arriving soon, they decided to change into their school robes. Daphne left the compartment to give Harry some privacy.

 _ ***PP***_

Shaking his thoughts away, he started following the mass of students, and then he heard a booming voice, "Firs'-years over here!"

Harry looked around for the source of the voice, and spotted a familiar, very tall figure. He made his way to Hagrid and greeted him, "Hello Hagrid!"

Hagrid looked down, spotted Harry, and put a hand on the young boy's shoulder, which almost sent him tumbling down by the sheer force of his blow.

"'Ello Harry! Welcome ter Hogwarts. Lemme jus call all the firs'-years an we'll be on our way"

 _ ***PP**_ _*_

When Daphne finished changing, she got out of the compartment. Looking left and right, she saw no sign of Harry. Where had that boy gone to? As she was getting out of the wagon, she spotted Tracey. At the same time, Tracey spotted her and with an angry look, she made her way to Daphne.

"Where were you Daph? Our first train ride to Hogwarts together and you decide I'm not good enough for you? You said you were going to the loo and you would be right back."

Sheepishly smiling, she gave Tracey a quick hug, holding it until the annoyed girl hugged her back. Then, she said, "Oh Tracey, you're my best friend. Don't think I'd abandon you like that. I was really going to the loo, when I passed a compartment and spotted a certain boy with a lightning scar on his forehead."

Wide-eyed, Tracey whispered, "You don't mean…?"

"Yes, Harry Potter. I told you about what my Father expected of me, remember? It was a perfect chance to get to know him and become friends. He's a nice boy really, very clueless about our world, no more knowledgeable than a New Blood. I even had to explain Quidditch to the boy, imagine that!"

Tracey started giggling, "You're probably the worst flier I've ever seen, and _you_ , of all people, lectured the Boy-Who-Lived about Quidditch. That is hilarious."

"Oh, shut it. It's not that I am terrible at Quidditch, it's that the sport isn't up to the Greengrass heiress' standards.", she said haughtily, putting her chin up.

"Okay princess, whatever you say. So, tell me more about Potter!"

"Well, we're on a first-name basis already; we're already friends really. And I'm not just pretending, honest. He seems like the good sort, even if he is rather clueless. I'll just have to train him to our world. One thing is certain, I'd much rather spend an evening with Harry than the _proper_ Pureblood prince Draco Malfoy."

"What? But I thought you had a thing for _royalty_ , and his slick blond hair matches yours."

Daphne glared at Tracey. Tracey cowered under the glare and looked away. Satisfied with having won the staring contest, Daphne took Tracey's arm, and the best friends followed the other first years, both looking around for Harry Potter.

 _ ***PP**_ _*_

Smiling, Harry waited patiently next to Hagrid while all the first years slowly made their way to the half-giant. Some looked nervously at Hagrid, obviously not used to such sights. They were probably _New Bloods_ , wizards and witches with non-magical parents as Daphne had explained in the train. Harry couldn't blame them; his first impression of Hagrid was more or less of fear and wonder as well before he found out about magic. While others were silently complaining about being cold and hungry. Again, he could certainly relate, he couldn't wait to reach the warmth of the fabled Hogwarts castle.

When every first year was there, Hagrid directed them to a bunch of boats. "No more'n four to a boat!", Hagrid called.

Before Harry could make his way to a boat, someone pulled on his arm. Turning around quickly, he saw Daphne, with another dirty-blonde haired girl.

"Harry! There you are, I thought you were hiding from me.", said Daphne with a cheeky smirk. "Let me introduce you to my good friend, Tracey Davis"

Harry looked to Daphne's right, and further analyzed the new girl. Her eyes were green, just like his, and she seemed to radiate less confidence than Daphne. But, with a small smile, the girl put out her hand and said, "You can call me Tracey, any friend of Daphne's is a friend of mine."

Harry shook her hand and responded, "Call me Harry then."

As they made their way to a boat, Harry decided he was getting quite used to the sound of the word _friend_.

The trio got in the boat, with another dark-skinned boy with high cheekbones.

After the trio introduced themselves, the new addition said,

"Blaise Zabini, it's a pleasure to meet you all."

"This is a Slytherin only boat. I hope you meet the requirements." said Daphne half-jokingly.

Blaise perked up at that, he had really wanted to associate with the future Slytherin students. The only people worth his time now were the cunning and ambitious really. Such contacts would be useful to have now, and later on in life.

"Oh really? What a happy coincidence. I am planning to join Slytherin myself. The best house I would say. But what about those other two?" Blaise said, pointing to Harry and Tracey.

Tracey retorted, "Wherever Daph goes, I go. Daph's assuredly going to Slytherin, so I am too."

Blaise whistled, impressed, "Any one that chooses Slytherin willingly is the right sort of person, I would say. And what about you Potter?"

"Call me Harry. And, to be honest, Slytherin fits me better than any other houses. I'll probably join you three over there." replied Harry.

For a split-second, both Tracey and Blaise sported shocked looks, while Daphne had a self-satisfied smirk. No one expected the Boy-Who-Lived, the epitome of good in this world, to be sorted in house Slytherin. Tracey would have a word with Daphne, the Pureblood girl hadn't told her of that particular development.

As quickly as those shocked looks came, they were instantly gone, and with a big smile, Blaise shook Harry's hand while saying, "Call me Blaise. Any aspiring Slytherin has that right. Welcome back to the wizarding world, Harry."

As they were chatting on the magical boats, none of the four realized they had possibly started the most legendary alliance that would ever grace the halls of Hogwarts.

After the short boat trip, the students reached solid ground, went through a few nooks and cracks of a tunnel, and eventually reached huge doors made of solid oak.

Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door. The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face.

"Welcome first years. I am the deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, Minerva McGonagall. I also teach the art of Transfiguration. Thank you for bringing them, Hagrid. Now follow me students."

The students filed behind the deputy Headmistress as she led them into the Entrance hall.

Harry took a moment to admire the size and architecture of the hall. Magnificent statues, fiery torches on the stone walls, a very high ceiling. This was only a "small" section of the castle, yet it was truly impressive.

"I know you are all hungry. Do not fret, a banquet will be waiting for you once we enter the Great Hall. But, before you can sit down and eat, you will be sorted in your Hogwarts houses."

Excited chattering followed that statement. Harry could hear various students whispering the houses they wanted to be in.

"Gryffindor, mum would have a fit if I were anything else.

"Slytherin of course, although I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be a bad alternative"

"My mum was Hufflepuff, I'm hoping to join that house too."

Professor McGonagall clapped her hands together to attract the students' attention.

"Silence! I expect you to be on your best behaviour, and that includes not interrupting me while I speak."

The students stopped whispering at once, and put their heads down, afraid that by looking the stern teacher in the eye, they would be punished at once.

"I suggest you smarten yourselves up, we shall enter the hall momentarily, and the entire school will be there waiting."

People started fumbling with their robes, girls nervously playing with their hair.

Harry looked at his new friends. Daphne and Blaise seemed very confident, without a care in the world. They were calmly waiting to be sorted. Tracey, however, looked slightly panicked, and seemed to be nervously playing with her wand.

Daphne had also noticed this. She put a hand over Tracey's arm, which got Tracey to stop fumbling with her wand and look Daphne in the eyes. One smile from Daphne was all it took for Tracey to be filled with newfound confidence and calm.

Blaise also noted the exchange, and mentally filed the girls' closeness for later reference.

Suddenly, a voice was heard, "You may enter the Great Hall. The sorting has begun".

The gigantic doors to the Great Hall opened suddenly and a marvellous sight awaited the students.

Thousands and thousands of candles were floating in mid-air. Ghosts were flying around, greetings old and new students. Four long-tables filled the hall, with golden goblets, plates and cutlery on them. Hundreds of students seemed to be staring at the first years, which made some of new students very nervous.

Above all, the most magnificent thing about this hall was the ceiling. Harry had seen a bushy-haired girl pointing towards the sky, so he looked up.

He did not expect to see the reflection of the night sky filled with stars. They were completely open to the heavens, it was the most beautiful thing Harry had ever seen.

"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside, I read about in in _Hogwarts: A History_ ", said the girl who had pointed to the ceiling.

The doors behind them suddenly closed with a bang. Many students jumped in surprise, and a small blonde girl even let out a started "Eep!".

In the opposite end of the hall, Harry saw a long table, with several adults seated there, staring at the students. The Hogwarts professors, he figured.

Minerva McGonagall made her way in front of the Head table, pulled out her wand, and waved it in a confusing pattern. Suddenly, an ornate, gold-trimmed stool appeared out of nowhere.

Many gaps of wonder were heard around the hall. For many of the students, especially the New Bloods, this was one of their first times witnessing magic. Others, Daphne, Tracey, and Blaise included, didn't react to that display and didn't look particularly impressed.

As he looked back in the Deputy Headmistress' direction, he saw that she was carrying an old, tattered hat. She placed the old hat on the exquisite stool, and then she said, "You may start, Hat."

Most first year students were confused, why was the Professor talking to an old hat? And just what did the hat have to begin doing?

They got their answer when the Hat _opened its mouth_ , and started breaking into song:

" _Oh you may not think I'm pretty,_  
 _But don't judge on what you see,_  
 _I'll eat myself if you can find_  
 _A smarter hat than me._

 _You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_  
 _And I can cap them all._

 _There's nothing hidden in your head_  
 _The Sorting Hat can't see,_  
 _So try me on and I will tell you_  
 _Where you ought to be._

 _You might belong in Gryffindor,_  
 _Where dwell the brave at heart,_  
 _Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_  
 _Set Gryffindors apart;_

 _You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just and loyal,_  
 _Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_  
 _And unafraid of toil;_

 _Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
if you've a ready mind,_  
 _Where those of wit and learning,_  
 _Will always find their kind;_

 _Or perhaps in Slytherin,  
You'll make your real friends,_  
 _Those cunning folks use any means_  
 _To achieve their ends._

 _So put me on! Don't be afraid!_  
 _And don't get in a flap!_  
 _You're in safe hands (though I have none)_  
 _For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

Harry was filled with wonder, as were several of the new students. A talking hat sorted them into their Hogwarts houses? That was decidedly the odd sort of things magicals would come up with indeed.

He heard a relieved whisper of "Thank god we don't have to wrestle any trolls, I'll kill Fred and George for making me believe that".

Wrestling trolls, a funny thought came over Harry when he realised he had experience with that, when he fought and escaped Dudley.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted", the Deputy Headmistress said.

"Abbot, Hannah"

A nervous girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put the hat on. For a moment, the entire hall was silent, until the Hat shouted: "HUFFLEPUFF!"

Massive applause and cheers came from the table on the right, the Hufflepuff table, where students with yellow trim on their robes were happy to have gotten the first of the first year's batch.

"Bones, Susan"

Daphne whispered to their little group, "She's the niece of the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Amelia Bones. A very important witch in the Ministry."

Blaise and Tracey nodded, having made that connection themselves. Harry, however, had no idea what the DMLE and who Amelia Bones was, so he just nodded along, filing that information in his mind for later.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Cheers erupted once more from the Hufflepuff table, as they got their second first year.

The sorting went on, until they reached the first Slytherin to be sorted:

"Bulstrode, Millicent", followed by a loud "SLYTHERIN!".

Blaise perked up at that, "Finally, someone sorted in a proper house. Well done to her."

Daphne and Tracey smiled at that, as did Harry, but the latter thought that Blaise was being a bit judgmental towards the other people houses. However, he put that down to Blaise really wishing to be sorted in Slytherin and didn't think about it further.

Eventually, the first of their small group was to be sorted,

"Davis, Tracey"

Daphne squeezed the dirty-blond haired girl's hand, and Tracey pushed her way out of the group of first years to reach the stool. Her face was expressionless, but she walked slightly nervously, which gave away the stress she was feeling.

As she sat down on the stool, the hat went on her head, covering her eyes. Suddenly, Tracey heard a foreign voice in her mind, "Hmm… very interesting indeed."

Tracey jumped, she had not expected that.

"Not to worry child, I won't hurt you. My job is to sort you, not reveal your deepest secrets. It is interesting that you wish for Slytherin house only out of loyalty to your friend Daphne. That is very Hufflepuff indeed."

'Please no', thought Tracey. 'I want to be with Daph, she's my best friend, please. I want to be with her'

"If you're sure… Hufflepuff is a great house. Although, I suppose Slytherin can be considered even greater. You will certainly find real friends there, and you will achieve things you thought impossible together. Better be, SLYTHERIN!"

Tracey had been under the Hat for two minutes and Daphne had started to get worried. She'd still love her friend if, god forbid, she got sorted into Gryffindor. But, she really hoped she would join her in Slytherin. When the Hat finally had made its decision, relief flooded over Daphne. She gave a big smile to Tracey, as the latter skipped happily to the Slytherin table, where she got welcomed by her fellow first years and the older years.

A short time later, it was Daphne's turn.

"Greengrass, Daphne"

With the confidence only an heiress of a well-established house could bring, she sauntered towards the stool, chin up a relaxed smile on her face. She sat down on the stool and, as soon as the Hat touched her head, it yelled, "SLYTHERIN!"

Pleased with herself, she walked towards the Slytherin table, sitting next to Tracey and enjoying the attention from her fellow housemates.

Harry was starting to get more and more nervous. Two of his new friends had been sorted into Slytherin. What if he would be sorted somewhere different? Would they still talk to him, or would he need to find new friends?

"Potter, Harry"

The whole hall went silent for a second, and everyone turned towards him. After, people started pointing at him, and he heards whispers of "Is that really him", " _The_ Harry Potter?"

Harry realized that he still had no idea why he was famous. Hagrid hadn't told him, and Daphne skipped over the subject. He really needed to found out sooner rather than later, it was frustrating.

Trying to ignore the whispers, he made his way to the stool, where Professor McGonagall was waiting with a slight smile. He sat on it, and the Hat was put on his head.

"What do we have here? A celebrity? Ah yes, everyone knows about you. But you don't? Curious. Let's see here… we can certainly eliminate Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Those houses won't make you achieve your true potential. Oh what's this? You want to be in Slytherin, eh? You know this is the first time I've had two first years demanding to be sorted in Slytherin, usually they ask to _not_ be sorted there. Ha ha, how funny. While I think Gryffindor would let your inner courage out, yes, don't be surprised, you have a healthy amount of bravery deep down; it is true that Slytherin will make you rise to new heights, and make you indeed great. I've reached a decision, SLYTHERIN!"

Surprised expressions filled the hall. Every teacher, student (except for Harry's three new friends), and even ghost was shocked. The Boy-Who-Lived was sorted into _Slytherin_? The prejudice against that house was deeply ingrained in the Wizarding culture. Hagrid looked like he was about to cry.

Albus Dumbledore was one of the few still smiling, but, internally, he was surprised at this new development. Albus liked to know everything about each and every current and future political player. He was sure that the Potter heir would enter the world of politics, as he was expected to, eventually. Also, Albus was able to plan for most things and was able to, accurately, read most people, one of the side-effects of having mastered Occlumency and Legilimency.

He had expected the young Potter to be sorted in Gryffindor like his parents. He firmly believed the Potter would grow to be a scion of the Light side, just like he himself was. No matter, plans could be easily changed. He would have to keep a closer eye on Harry Potter, he would most certainly drabble in the Neutral, and possibly the Darker groups due to his status as a Slytherin now.

Daphne, Tracey, and Blaise were openly clapping for Harry's sorting, and the rest of the Slytherin house broke out of their trance and started cheering as well. They had gotten the Boy-Who-Lived. Many Slytherins who were ready to dismiss him as another "hero" of the Light side were now looking at Harry Potter in another light. Perhaps they should keep a close eye on the boy and test the waters to see where his loyalties and beliefs lied. Not everyone had the stomach to survive in Slytherin house, and not everyone could handle the inner-house politics. Only time would tell.

Afterwards, the last person to be sorted, Blaise, also got into Slytherin, and he joined the other three at the Slytherin table.

The four were happy that their group did not get broken apart by being sorted in different houses.

Daphne couldn't wait to tell her father that she had gotten Harry Potter to join the Snakes. She was happy, because that would please her father, but also because Harry seemed like a nice person. She felt slightly bad for having manipulated him, but it's not like she did him harm. She got him to join the best house in Hogwarts, Daphne had helped him really.

Suddenly, the hall went quiet as a loud, commanding voice was heard, "Ahem. I know you are all hungry, but before we dig into this feast, I have a few words to say."

"Nitwit, Blubber, Oddment, Tweak!"

As he said that, he clapped his hands simultaneously. Towers of food and drinks appeared on each house table. Various meals and desserts were available for the picking, and everyone ignored the Headmaster's odd words in favour of eating their hunger away.

Harry had never seen so much food in once place, so he started digging in with gusto.

After the succulent banquet was over, the dishes suddenly disappeared, and Dumbledore rose again to say a few more things,

"Before you go off to bed, I must remind you of a few things. First, the Forbidden Forest is, as the name suggests, forbidden for all. Even for a certain pair of third-year Gryffindors."

Harry looked over at the Gryffindor table, where he spotted the red-haired twins that were playing with the tarantula in the train earlier, sheepishly smiling.

"Second, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you all that casting spells in the corridors in-between classes is not allowed."

"Finally, this year, the third-floor is out of bounds. I insist that you do not go exploring there, or you will certainly die a most painful death.

Wide-eyed, Harry looked around at his friends, who were mostly sporting the same expression he was. Tracey looked the most nervous of all, slightly shivering with fear at Dumbledore's warning. Blaise was looking at the Headmaster as if he were a crazy man. However, Daphne had put on a mask of indifference, so Harry couldn't really guess what she thought about that unusual warning.

"Now that I have said everything that needed to be said, you may go to your dormitories and rest. I bid you all a good night, chop chop!"

Every student in the hall started leaving. Two upper-year Slytherins, a boy with black hair, and a redheaded girl, got up and were yelling "We're the fifth year Slytherin prefects. First years, follow us, we'll lead you to our common room."

The first years started lining up behind those two, and they slowly made their way through Hogwarts. They did not use the hundreds of moving staircases, instead they went down a level and went through the dungeons.

They were turning left, right, right, and left again. Harry was too tired to remember what path they took, although Blaise looked as if he was concentrating on where they were going. He'd just ask the other boy in the group to teach him the path.

Eventually, they reached a stone wall that had a snake carved into it.

"This is the entrance to our common room, Slytherins. To enter, you must stand in front of it and speak the password.", explained the red-haired prefect.

"The password is _Salazar the Great_ ", stated the other prefect.

As those words left the boy's lips, the wall started moving and, eventually, opened up to form a passageway in the wall. The first years went in, led by the prefects, and eventually they arrived at their destination.

Looking around, Harry liked what he saw. Comfy, green couches were situated around a big fireplace that already had a fire roaring in it. A big statue of Salazar Slytherin (Harry was guessing) was on one of the sides of the room. Bookshelves on most every wall containing books about diverse topics.

"Welcome to the Slytherin common room. This will be your new home for the next 7 years. The boy's dormitories are on the right staircase, and the girl's on the left. I suggest you don't try to climb on the opposite gender's staircase, or you will find yourself most embarrassed in front of the entire Slytherin house. Every year, some firsties ignore our warnings and they have to deal with the shame.", said the black-haired prefect, while chucking alongside with other upper-years.

"By the way, we haven't introduced ourselves. I'm Elizabeth Harper", the girl prefect said, "and this prat over here is Ethan Pritchard" pointing to the other prefect, who, offended, let out an indignant "Hey!" at Elizabeth's comment.

The first years were snickering at that, and they, already, started to feel more comfortable inside the Slytherin house.

Elizabeth continued, "You'll be sharing your rooms with the other boys or girls in your year, so I suggest you all get friendly quick. There will be no change of rooms accepted, and certainly no individual rooms for anyone. Before you can go to bed, however, our Head of house, Prefessor Snape will come momentarily to welcome you to Slytherin. I suggest you listen carefully to what he has to say, he is looking out for your best interests as Slytherins. If you take to his advice to heart, you will do very well in our house indeed. Good night firsties."

Funnily enough, as she said that, the common room wall opened, and standing in its frame was a tall man with black hair, dressed in all black, looking at each and every one of the students with piercing eyes.

"Welcome to Slytherin, I am Severus Snape, your Head of house.", said the man in a soft, yet captivating tone.


	5. Slytherin & Slavery

Thank you very much to my very first reviewer ' **HarryHermioneEdwardBella'**! I really appreciate reviews, both good and bad. You can also write down what you would like to see next in the story. :). Without further ado, here's the story.

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Slytherin & Slavery**

 _ **Slytherin Common Room, Hogwarts, September 1**_ _ **st**_ _ **, 1991**_

" _Welcome to Slytherin, I am Severus Snape, your Head of house."_

The hook-nosed man took the time to stare at each and every one of his students. Some more confident students held his gaze, including Draco, Blaise, Daphne. Others flinched away; the man's gaze was not scary, per se, it was just very intimidating for some of the first-years.

When he got to Harry, his face contorted in a weird expression for a split second, a mix of curiosity and distrust was shown in his eyes. Obviously, no student took notice of that, not even the more observant ones, such as the Greengrass heiress. The Potions professor had been a double-agent for both of the greatest wizards of the century, Albus Dumbledore and Lord Voldemort. As such, keeping his emotions and thoughts to himself was key; his mastery of both Occlumency and Legilimency helped. No mere student could decipher his expressions.

He moved on to observe Millicent Bulstrode immediately, as if Harry Potter was just any other typical Slytherin student, but he wasn't. Severus' hate of James Potter and undying love for Lily Evans battled deep in his heart. The Potions professor was expecting an arrogant and confident carbon-copy of James Potter, but that notion was dispelled when the young Potter was sorted in his own house. Dumbledore had asked him to protect Harry Potter, and so he would, in memory of the only true friend he had ever had. But, just maybe, the boy would be easy to deal with and, dare he say, an upstanding human being. This was Severus' chance for closure regarding the Potter family. The first move had been made by Harry, unknowingly, by being sorted into Slytherin. As the muggles say, the ball was now in Severus' court.

When he finished looking over the first-years, the man simply said, "Move aside, towards the fireplace, now".

The students, not wanting to make their stern Head of house wait, quickly shuffled towards the indicated spot.

Once every student had moved, Severus raised his wand and started waving it in a very complex manner. Two swishes, a jab, and a flick later, suddenly, a round table appeared in the empty space with wooden chairs surrounding the table. There were as many chairs as there were students in the room.

"Take a seat", ordered Severus.

The students obeyed, and each of them found a seat. Harry sat in-between Daphne and Blaise; Tracey sitting on Daphne's right. They were patiently waiting for further instructions.

As if reading their minds, Severus began, "The great house of Slytherin has been befouled with an unfair prejudice for the past few decades. Your average Gryffindor student, for example, will, probably, blindly mistrust all of you just based on the simple fact that you are Slytherin. You will _not_ pay them any mind. You will _not_ apologise for being who you are. The house of Slytherin, in my humble opinion, is the winning one out of all four houses in Hogwarts."

The young Potions Master had completely captivated his audience. The man had a manner of speaking that left you hanging on his every word.

He continued," We are as knowledgeable as any Ravenclaw, but we know how to use information for our gain too. We are as loyal as any Hufflepuff, but we understand that we cannot expect blind loyalty from anyone, it _must_ be earned. We are as brave as any Gryffindor; however, we know how to pick our battles, and do not blindly rush into high-risk situations."

Pausing for a second, he let the students think about what the precious information he had just shared. Many of the students had determined expressions on their faces, whilst others had cold expressions.

"Above all", continued Severus, "we are cunning, resourceful, and ambitious. We stop at nothing to achieve our goals, whether alone or with the aid of friends and allies. Each and every one of you have different, personal goals. Seven years in the Slytherin house will provide you with the tools and information needed to best achieve those goals."

"We are Slytherin, we are the best this school has to offer. For that very reason, I want all of you, with no exceptions, to present this image to the rest of the school. I want every student, professor, and portrait to know that we achieve top results through unity and hard work. As such, ANY conflict you might have with your fellow housemates will NOT be shown to the rest of the school. Keep it in the common room, or you shall suffer harsh consequences, given by myself."

"We are persecuted unfairly by society's prejudices, but we are also a family. My door is always open for my Slytherins, provided you follow the rules I have just stated. These will either be the best seven years of your life, or the worst. Your fate is up to you. I will hand over your schedules tomorrow morning during breakfast; on the schedules I have written the names of the house prefects. If you have any questions, personal or school-related, and if I am not available, I expect those prefects to help you with pleasure. Good night Slytherins, and welcome to Hogwarts."

After that moving speech, the Potions Master left his seat, waiting for the students to get up as well. With a flick of his wand, the table and chairs vanished. With a billowing of his robes, Severus took one last look around the common room, and left. Harry made a mental note to never get on Professor Snape's bad side.

The four friends said their goodbyes, and Harry left with Blaise to the boys' dormitories, whilst Daphne and Tracey left for the girls'.

As Harry entered his dormitory, he saw six four-poster beds, each with trunks at the ends. He quickly spotted his own trunk, and started unpacking his things.

Blaise was doing the same, as was another dark-haired boy. They were all unpacking quietly, tired after the day's exciting events, when, suddenly, the door to the dormitory flew open.

In its frame stood Draco Malfoy, followed by two large boys. Draco seemed to be looking around until he spotted his target: Harry.

"Harry Potter. Were you having me on the other day at Madam Malkin's? You seemed so ignorant of our ways and of Hogwarts, and now you're sorted in Slytherin. I knew you were the right sort", said Draco with a smile.

Harry's mind was racing fast. Draco was rude to him before, but maybe he had just judged him wrong. The last thing he wanted to do was antagonize anyone, so he answered with a hesitant smile of his own, "I've learned a bit about this world since our talk, I'm glad to be in Slytherin."

Satisfied with Harry's answer, Draco relaxed and added, "Good good. By the way, this is Vincent Crabbe", pointing to the boy to his left, "and this is Gregory Goyle", pointing to the other boy.

The two boys nodded in unison, and Harry nodded back.

The dark-haired boy he had seen before, also, spoke up, "I'm Theodore Nott." The boy held out his hand, so Harry shook it.

"Ah Nott, it's been a while. How is your father doing? My father has been wondering where he's gone to, they haven't talked in months.", said Draco casually as he was unpacking his own trunk.

At the mention of his father, Theodore's face took an angry expression for a second, before he hesitatingly replied, "Uh, he's fine. Always out on business trips."

"Ah yes, well that's the Pureblood life. We earn our status and power with hard work. Unavoidable, I'm afraid. Of course, I'd rather work a bit harder than be a New Blood", said Draco whilst openly chuckling at his joke, expecting the entire dormitory to laugh along.

Vincent and Gregory started laughing instantly, joining Draco. Theodore was quietly chuckling, obvious to anyone but Draco at that moment that he was just playing along. Blaise had a neutral expression, and Harry looked downright angry.

When Draco noticed that Harry had gone very quiet, and noticed his annoyed expression, he hastily added, "No offence meant Harry. You're a half-blood, that is acceptable too, I suppose."

The only thing Hagrid had mentioned about his parents is that his mother, Lily, was a New Blood, and his father, James, a Pureblood. Not letting anybody make fun of his mother, directly or indirectly, Harry said, "My mum was a New Blood. Do not make fun of her."

Draco was clearly about to retort, when Blaise stepped in, "We're all Slytherins here, it doesn't matter anymore. Let's just unpack and go to bed. I want to rest, and I don't want to lose sleep over you two bickering."

Shrugging, Draco let it go and made his way to his own bed. In the upcoming week, he would just teach Harry the ways of the Wizarding world, and tell him that New Bloods were simply inferior. It wasn't anything personal.

Having defused the situation, Blaise also climbed in his bed, as did the other Slytherins.

Harry closed the curtains around his bed and started breathing in, and breathing out. No one would make fun of his parents in front of him, or Harry vowed he would make them pay. Draco seemed like the same rude boy he met in Diagon Alley. Again, Harry hoped it was just all a misunderstanding.

There was no use thinking about it further, so Harry tried to go to sleep. Tomorrow he would have his first lessons. He would learn actual magic! But, a nagging thought persisted in his head. If his parents had still been alive, would his father had taught him curses and jinxes, would his mother had taught him charms? He had never missed his parents more than he had in that very moment.

Closing his eyes, he kept repeating ' _Lily, mum, James, dad_ ' in his head as if that would bring them back. When he opened his eyes and no one was there, he shed a tear. Two hours later, he would, finally, fall asleep.

 _ **House-Elf dormitories, Hogwarts, September 2**_ _ **nd,**_ _ **1991**_

It was 3:00 AM. Tinker got out of her bed and looked around. Every house-elf was snoring quietly in their beds, muttering things in their sleep about clothes and laundry. Tinker opened the door, left the dormitories, and continued walking in the adjacent hallway until she was far enough from prying ears. When she had walked far enough, she concentrated hard on her destination and, with a very silent _pop_ , she disapparated.

It was time for Part A of the grand scheme to come to fruition. The lords' sons and daughters were mostly all at Hogwarts now, away from their manors. She had bided her time for months, and it was finally time to act.

Those useless Hogwarts elves had not given her any useful information, it seemed their thoughts only comprised of soaps, socks, and food. However, she had spotted a few promising future members, she would recruit them discreetly for future operations.

Tinker started walking towards a big Oak tree, the meeting spot for tonight. When she reached the tree, she sat down at the base of the trunk, and waited.

A few seconds later, she heard a multitude of gentle _pops_ from behind. Turning around, she sported a big smile when she spotted the new arrivals.

Six other elves were walking towards her. She had expected more, but, oh well, this would do for now. She made a mental note to focus more on outside recruitment as well, not just Hogwarts.

"Welcome new members, and old", Tinker said, spotting her two life-long friends Binky and Winnie amongst the crowd. "Tonight, the first step to our liberation starts."

The elves started cheering and clapping excitedly at that, until Tinker shushed them, "Hush! We're in the middle of a neighbourhood. Do you want the wizards to be alerted and ruin our plans? Be quiet."

At once, every elf shut their mouth and were looking around nervously.

Tinker continued, "Our first target is that manor over there", pointing to a grandiose, brick manor. "I want two of you with me, and four of you on lookout. If you get seen or caught by anyone, you disapparate to the safe-house I told you all about, and you lay low. Do not speak and keep the masks on your head. We do not want any wizard identifying us with the use of Pensieves."

A small elf shyly came forward and asked, "Uhh Tinker, what is beings a Penny-siv?". The rest of the group nodded at that, and equal expressions of confusion were present on their faces.

Groaning, Tinker impatiently replied, "Never mind that. Just do as I say. Binky and Winnie, with me. We will extract the target. The rest, I want one elf on each side of the manor, be careful."

Tinker, Binky, and Winnie easily slipped into the house. They made their way to the kitchen, and opened a dirty cupboard.

Inside, a bruised, dirty house-elf was sleeping on a shelf. Tinker snapped her fingers, and the sleeping house-elf started levitating. Quietly, the three rescuers and the rescuee left the manor without any trouble.

It seemed the four elves on watch hadn't served much purpose. After all, who would expect their house-elf to be kidnapped by rogue house-elves in the middle of the night? That thought was preposterous to anyone. Smirking, Tinker thought that was good. Being unpredictable is what would liberate their race in the end.

The seven house-elves regrouped, and Tinker put the floating elf down on the ground. He was under the influence of Tinker's magic, so he was still fast asleep.

Tinker snapped her fingers and the disillusioned ring on her finger became visible again. The other elves were oohing and aahing at the shiny piece of jewelry.

The elf leader put her hand on the sleeping elf's forehead, and muttered something under her breath.

A white, blinding light came out of her ring, and, as quickly as the light shone, it disappeared.

The previously sleeping house elf awoke with a start, very confused at first about his whereabouts. He got up, ready to defend himself, when suddenly he came to an important realization,

"I'm free! Mitzy is free! I have no master! Oh yes, finally, Mitzy is free!".

The elf started dancing and jumping everywhere, he was ecstatic with joy. He had managed to escape his horrible masters, who loved to punish him for every little mistake he committed.

The other house-elves may not have been the brightest bunch, but even they had realized that what Tinker had just done was considered impossible. They gaped and turned their gaze to her, looking at their leader in a new light.

Tinker had a wide smile on her face. She had managed to forcefully break the bond between an elf and his master.

On this day, the Great Elf Liberation had officially begun. The Elfish Militia had been reborn.


End file.
